Spinnerette



April 6, 1965 F. B. POWELL 3,176,345

SPINNERETTE Filed June 25, 1962 INVENTOR. FRED B. POWEL L Kiwi. 73W

ATToRNd? United States Patent 3,176,345 SPINNERETTE Fred B. Powell, Decatur, Ala, assignor to Monsanto (lumpany, a corporation of Delaware Filed June 25, 1962, Ser. No. 204,746 2 Claims. {(ll. 18-8) This invention relates to spinnerettes and more particularly to spinnerettes for forming conjugate filaments.

In the manufacturing of conventional conjugate spinnerettes great expense and diificulty are encountered. The holes in the spinnerette must be precisely formed and of a precise size. If one of the holes is ruined during the manufacturing operation, the cost of the spinnereite to that point may be a loss. Also, when one of the holes in the conventional spinnere-tte Wears oversize the spinnerette must be discarded. The extreme dimensional accuracy required in a conventional :spinnerette makes the cost of the spinnerette very high. With this in mind, one of the objects of this invention is to provide a novel and improved spinnerette.

Another object of this invention is to provide a conjugate spinnerette which is laminated in construction.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a conjugate spinnerette which i inexpensive and easy to fabricate.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a spinnerette wherein the spinning orifices are slots in a lamination.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a conjugate spinnerette wherein the amounts of each spinning solution going to form the filament can be very precisely controlled.

Another object of this invention is to provide a conjugate spinnerette wherein manifolds positioned on opposite sides of a sheet feed different spinning solutions into a slot leading to the edge of the sheet to define a spinning orifice.

One embodiment of the present invention contemplates a conjugate spinnerette wherein a sheet or lamination sandwiched between a pair of manifolds is provided with slotwhich extend to the edge of the sheet to form spinning orifices. Different spinning solutions fed into the slots from the manifolds travel through and exit from these slots as conjugate filaments.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent when the following detailed description is read in conjunction with the appended drawing, in which the single figure is a partially exploded perspective view showing the construction of one embodiment of the invention.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, a plurality of fiat manifolds or plates 11 and 12 are shown interleaved with a plurality of sheets or laminations 13, these elements being stacked against each other in the order 11-13-12- 13-11-13-12 to form a spinnerette l6. Bolts 17 hold the stacked elements together.

The sheets or lamination 13, which are each sandwiched between a plate 11 and a plate 12, are provided with a plurality of slots 29 extending from the edge of the sheet. These slots 20 form the spinning orifices or nozzles of the spinnerette 1'6. For the sake of clarity, the sheets 13 are shown in the drawing having a substantial thicknes and the slots 20 are shown having a substantial width. In actual practice, the sheets 13 are very thin and the slots 29 are very narrow. Since the size of each of the filaments formed by the spinnerette 16 will be determined by the cross sectional area of the slots 20, the sheets 13 must be thin and the slots 2% narrow.

Each of the plates or manifolds 11 and 12 serves as a manifold for feeding spinning solutions into the slots 20 ice in the sheet 13, the manifold 11 feeding one spinning solution into one side of the slots 20 and the manifold 12 feeding another spinning solution into the other side of the slots 2%. These solutions or compositions fiow through the slots 2i? and exit from the spinnerette as conjugate filaments. The paths of these filaments leaving the spinnerctte are designated :by numeral 21.

The plates 11 are each provided with L-shaped manifold openings 24 which overlap the inner ends of the slots 29 so that a spinning solution flowing into the opening 24 will flow into and through the slots 29. The manifold openings 24 are connected through aligned apertures 25 and 26 in the plates 13 and sheets 11, respectively, to a lower manifold 39 connected to a first source 31 of spinning solution or composition. Thus, spinning solution from the source 31 will flow through the passageways defined by the apertures 25 and 26 to the manifold openings 24, and will flow from the openings 24 through the slots 26.

Tl e plates 12 are each provided with reverse L-shaped manifold openings 34 which overlap the inner ends of the slots 20 so that a spinning solution flowing into the openings 34 will flow into and through the slots 20 along with the solution flowing from the manifold openings 24 in the plates 11. The manifold openings 34 are connected through aligned apertures 35 and 36 in the plates Ill and sheets 13, rsepectively, to an upper manifold connected to a second source 41 of spinning solution or composition. Thus, spinning solution from the source 41 will flow through the passageways defined by the aligned apertures 35 and 36 to the manifold openings 34, and Wiil then flow from the openings 34 through the slots 26 In operation of the spinnerette, the first spinning solution is pumped from the source 31 through the lower manifold to the manifold openings 24 in the plates 11. From the manifold openings 2d the spinning solution flows into and through the slots 26 in the sheets 13. Spinning solution from the source 41 is pumped through the upper manifold openings 34 in the plates 12, from which it flows into the slots 2d to join the solution from the source 31. The two compositions exit from the slots 29 as conjugate filaments.

It can readily he seen that this spinnerette is inexpensive and easy to manufacture. The only critical dimensions are the thickness of the sheet 13 and the width of the slot 29. Should some of the spinning orifice become defective during operation of the spinnerette, the sheet 13 in which the defective opening appears is merely replaced. Thus, it is not necessary to discard the whole spinnerette. Also, since the two spinning streams do not meet until just before leaving the spinnerette, the amounts of each solution going into the filaments can be very precisely controlled.

It is to be understood that the embodiment disclosed herein is merely illustrative and that this embodiment can be altered or amended and that numerous other embodiments can be contemplated which will fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

hat is claimed is:

1. A spinning system, comprising a plurality of first and second plates arranged in alternated relationship, a plurality of sheets interleaved between the plates so that adjacent plates are separated by one of the sheets, each of said sheets having therein a plurality of slots extending inwardly from an edge of said sheet, said slots defining spinnerette orifices, each of said plates having therein manifold openings communicating with said slots, said plates and sheets having therein aligned apertunes defining a first passageway leading to the openings in the first plates, said plates and sheets also having therein aligned apertures defining a second passageway to the openings in the second plates, means for forcing a first spinning solution into 'said first passagewa y and means for fo rcing a second spinning solution into the second passageway.

2. A spinning system, comprising a sheet having therein aplurality of slots. extending inwandly from an edge; of a I saidtsheet, said slots defining spinnerette orifices a first manifold positionedon {one side of ,thetshe'et and having therein L-shapedmanifolds communicating with'the slots in the eheet a second nianifold' positioned-ontheother 7 side of the sheet and-heying lthe 'ein revelfsed "L-sheped openmg 1n communication witlhlsaid slots, means for iorcing a"firstt 's'pinning solution into the opening in g References Cited'by the Examiner 1 5 1 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,031,387 2/36' Schwarz 18'8 2;386,173j "10/45 -;Ku1p et'al 18--8 2,428,046 9/47 Sisson et a1. 18'8 XR 1 MICHAEL V. BRINDISI, Primarj Examiner. WILLIAM J. STEPHENSON, Examiner. 

1. SPINNING SYSTEM, COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF FIRST AND SECOND PLATES ARRANGED IN ALTERNATED RELATIONSHIP, A PLURALITY OF SHEETS INTERLEAVED BETWEEN THE PLATES SO THAT ADJACENT PLATES ARE SEPARATED BY ONE OF THE SHEETS, EACH OF SAID SHEETS HAVING THEREIN A PLUALITY OF SLOTS EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM AN EDGE OF SAID SHEET, SAID SLOTS DEFINING SPINNERETTE ORIFICES, EACH OF SAID PLATES HAVING THREIN MANIFOLD OPENINGS COMMUNICATING WITH SAID SLOTS, SAID PLATES AND SHEETS HAVING THEREIN ALIGNED APERTURES DEFINING A FIRST PASSAGEWAY LEADING TO THE OPENINGS IN THE FIRST PLATES, SAID PLATES AND SHEETS ALSO HAVING THEREIN, ALIGNED APERTURES DEFINING A SECOND PASSAGEWAY TO THE OPENINGS IN THE SECOND PLATES, MEANS FOR FORCING A FIRST SPINNING SOLUTION INTO SAID FIRST PASSAGEWAY AND MEANS FOR FORCING A SECOND SOLUTION INTO THE SECOND PASSAGEWAY. 